Category: Top Peloponnese posts (page 1 of 4)

Ancient Corinth’s most significant historic sites

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Video views of archaeological sites and superb scenery at the top historic places of Ancient Corinth

 

The 6-minute film  Ancient Corinthia from high above captures breathtaking aerial views of the major historic locations of Ancient Corinth

 

For history buffs and landscape lovers: The Corinth region of Greece is home to a plethora of important sites that will impress visitors who are fascinated with ancient Greek history. And since they’re situated in beautiful outdoor locations, these places should appeal even to people who aren’t history buffs, but who enjoy seeing and spending time in picturesque landscapes, countrysides and coastal areas.

That’s why we think both types of traveller will enjoy watching the video we have shared above. Produced by the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth, it captures amazing visual perspectives of Ancient Corinth’s signature ruins and monuments amidst their scenic surroundings.

Historic sites shown in the video include, in order of appearance:

♦ Krommyon at Ayioi Theodori

♦ Sanctuary of Hera at Perochora

♦ Ithsmus / Corinth Canal

♦ Diolkos at Poseidonia

♦ Sanctuary of Poseidon at Ithsmia

♦ the submerged ancient port at Kenchreai

♦ Solygeia at Galataki

♦ Tenea at Klenia and Chiliomodi

♦ Poros Limestone Quarries at Examilia

♦ the harbour at Lechaion

♦ Ancient Corinth

♦ Acrocorinth

♦ Sanctuary of Demeter and Koris

♦ Sanctuary of Asklepios

♦ the Theater at Ancient Corinth

♦ Temple of Apollo

 

Pirine fountain (Peirine fountain) in Ancient Corinth

The Peirine Fountain, seen in a photo from the website for the Ancient Corinth Archaeological Museum

 

We got to see several of the locations — Sanctuary of Hera, Corinth Canal, Diolkos, Acrocorinth, as well as the Temple of Apollo and many other monuments at the Ancient Corinth archaeological site — during two daytrips in May 2022, while we were staying in the nearby city of Loutraki. We passed close by a few of the others shown in the video, but regret that we weren’t able to include them in our itinerary.

If you find yourself in the Corinth area with a vehicle and three to four (or more) days at your disposal, you should be able to comfortably visit most, if not all, of these sites. The villages, towns and countryside around them look fascinating, too, and undoubtedly would be worth exploring. 

 

 

Travel links

Planning a trip to the Corinth area, or just wondering if it’s the right region for you to visit on an upcoming trip to Greece? The following links should prove helpful for your research:

♦ the Explore Corinth website provides detailed information, photos, artwork and videos of some of the region’s key sites and attractions — Ancient Corinth, Acrocorinth, Corinth Canal, Ancient Tenea and Ancient Nemea — and includes a section spotlighting St. Paul the Apostle, who established a Christian community and church at Corinth.

♦ the website for the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth contains detailed visitor information and photos of the museum and its collections, and the adjacent archaeological site, as you would expect, along with specific sections that focus on Acrocorinth, Bema of St. Paul, Sanctuary of Asklepieion, Temple of Octavia, Temple of Apollo, Glauke Fountain, Basiilica of Kraneion, Basilica of Lechaion, Peirene Fountain, Ancient Odeion, Amphitheater, and the Theater of Ancient Corinth.

♦ the commercial travel agency site Enjoy Corinthia features information, photos and videos of historic sites, top tourist attractions,  beaches and other places of interest both in the Corinth area and beyond, along with descriptions of tours and excursions the company provides and, of course, details of its holiday packages and other services.

 

Sanctuary of Demeter and Koris

The Sanctuary of Demeter and Koris is seen in an aerial photo from the Ancient Corinth Archaeological Museum’s website

 

Our Corinth daytrips in 2022

Also have a look at our blog posts containing descriptions and photos of daytrips we took during a three-day stay at the city of Loutraki in May 2022:

A modern bridge and ancient boat track at the Corinth Canal

A visit to Acrocorinth Castle

A short daytrip from Loutraki to Vouliagmeni Lake and the Sanctuary of Hera; and

Our holiday visit to Loutraki on the Gulf of Corinth coast

 

 

A daytrip from Loutraki to top historic sites near Corinth

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The Corinth Canal, an ancient boat slipway, a castle, an archaeological site and a museum were fascinating stops during our daytrip in the Corinth area of the Peloponnese

 

Entrance gate to Acrocorinth castle

Ancient Corinth columns

the Diolkos boat trackway at Corinth

In less than half a day, we were able to visit such important historic sites as the Acrocorinth castle, top, the Ancient Corinth archaeological site and museum, center, and the Diolkos boat trackway at the western entrance to the Corinth Canal

 

Ideal for history buffs:  During our short stay in Loutraki last May, we got to step thousands of years back in time with an easy daytrip visit to several of the premier historic attractions in the nearby Corinth area.

It was an ideal itinerary for history buffs as well as anyone who appreciates marvels of architecture and engineering.

Our driving route took us across a submersible bridge at the northern mouth of the Corinth Canal, where we stopped to see the Diolkos, an ancient track that was used to transfer boats overland from the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf, long before the canal was constructed.

Next stop was the Acrocorinth Castle, where we wandered around the inside of the massive mountaintop fortress and enjoyed superlative views of the Corinth region.

Our third destination was the archaeological site and museum at Ancient Corinth.

Lunch and a coffee break in the modern city of Corinth topped off our tour of amazing feats of engineering and impressive monuments and artefacts from centuries of Greek history.

I have written individual posts to show photos and information about the attractions at each of our stops. You can view them simply by continuing to scroll down the blog, or by clicking on any of the following links to access a specific article:

♦ A modern bridge & ancient boat track at the Corinth Canal

A visit to Acrocorinth Castle

♦ Coming soon — The Ancient Corinth archaeological site and museum

 

A modern bridge & ancient boat track at the Corinth Canal

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During a daytrip from nearby Loutraki, we crossed a submersible bridge on the Corinth Canal to see the Diolkos, an ancient boat slipway

 

the Diolkos boat trackway at Corinth

Looking along a section of the ancient Diolkos track, a stone-paved slipway once used to move boats overland across the Isthmus of Corinth. This section of the historic track is situated only a few meters from the edge of the Corinth Canal, which is partly visible in the upper right corner of the photo.

 

Marvels of maritime travel & transport: We have seen — and driven over — the world-famous Corinth Canal numerous times, but this daytrip marked our first opportunity to cross the 129-year-old waterway on a submersible bridge, something we never even knew existed. (Our previous canal crossings had been on the regional motorway and local road bridge, the same routes on which most tourists pass over the historic canal in excursion buses or rental vehicles.)

Another first, for us, was seeing a remarkable unearthed section of an overland track that was used to move cargo ships for hundreds of years long before the canal was constructed.

The Diolkos is a stone-paved road that enabled boats and transport ships to cross the Isthmus of Corinth — a  6 km wide stretch of flat land separating the Gulf of Corinth to the north from the Saronic Gulf to the south — instead of sailing the substantially longer and potentially perilous sea route off the Peloponnese coast.

 

This Google map pinpoints the submersible bridge near the Diolkos track, our first stop on a daytrip from the city of Loutraki to several historic attractions in the Corinth area of the Peloponnese

 

the Diolkos boat trackway at Corinth

Grooves in the stone pavement are the ancient tracks that boats were dragged along from one gulf to the other

 

A marvel of engineering for its time, the Diolkos is believed to have been constructed in the early years of the 6th Century BCE, and operated from around 650 BCE to 50 CE. The track extended for as long as 8 kilometers between the two gulfs, and varied in width from 4.5 to 6 meters in most places, and up to 10 meters near each gulf coast. Boats would be hauled from the water on wooden rollers, then loaded onto special wheeled vehicles that animals would pull along grooves in the track. To make the load lighter for carriage on the track, the vessel’s cargo would be unloaded and transported to the other gulf separately, by road, while the boat was slowly dragged down the Diolkos. Once the ship was refloated in the gulf on the opposite side of the isthmus, its cargo would be reloaded and the boat would resume its voyage.

The Diolkos was a costly shortcut for shipowners, who paid steep fees for the slipway transit service, and it gradually fell out of favour as sailing firms began acquiring larger ships that could more safely navigate the seas off the Peloponnese.

 

 

We felt it was definitely worthwhile making a short stop at the Diolkos to appreciate the ancient engineering achievement and contemplate the incredibly difficult and demanding physical labour that would have been required to move heavy boats along the passageway.

As for that submersible bridge we crossed to reach the Diolkos, we didn’t know how it worked until long after we got home from our trip, when I found a YouTube video which I have posted below.  We had thought it was a type of drawbridge that would swing to one side to let boats pass but, as the video shows, it actually drops deep into the water channel, then quickly rises back into position once ships have entered or exited the canal.

We didn’t get to watch the bridge in action because the canal had been closed to traffic at the time, still undergoing restoration work to repair extensive damage caused by a series of landslides in late 2020 and in 2021. It reopened in July 2022 for a few months of seasonal operations before shutting for a scheduled second phase of repairs that will be performed during the late autumn and winter.

 

submersible bridge at the Corinth Canal

This two-lane vehicle bridge, at the west entrance to the Corinth Canal, submerses to let boats and ships pass through the canal. It’s located close to a segment of the Diolkos trackway. We crossed this bridge en route from Loutraki to the Diolkos track during a May 2022 daytrip in the Peloponnese. Another similar bridge is situated at the east mouth of the canal.

 

We didn’t get to see, in person, how the submersible bridges at the Corinth Canal work, because the canal had been closed to boat traffic at the time of our visit. But this interesting 3-minute video, by OurTour Blog, shows one of the bridges in operation. 

 

Learn more about the Diolkos and Corinth Canal

For further historic  insights and background information on both the Doilkos track and the Corinth Canal, complete with photos and maps, have a look at these excellent articles:

♦  Corinth Canal Doilkos on Sailing Issues, a website focussed on marine navigation and sailing holidays in Greece, Croatia and Turkey; 

♦The Diolkos Trackway In Greece Is An Ancient Relic Of Human Will Power, a story published in June on the website Indie88.com.

♦ The Greek Reporter story Greece’s Corinth Canal closes again until next summer, published October 4, describes the landslides and restoration work that forced the canal to close until July of this year. The report also includes a local news video showing the rockfall damage. 

♦ The November 22  feature article The spectacular canal that was 2,500 years in the making. on CNN Travel.

 

This 3-minute National Geographic video shows stunning aerial views of the canal, including scenes of a large cruise ship navigating the narrow passageway

 

 

A visit to Acrocorinth Castle

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Uphill climbs, imposing walls, centuries of history and beautiful views: Photos from our visit to Acrocorinth, the largest castle in the Peloponnese 

 

Acrocorinth Castle near Corinth in Greece

The mountain atop which the Acrocorinth Castle sits

 Acrocorinth Castle, top, occupies the peak of a 575-meter (1,880-foot) mountain that rises on the southwest side of the Ancient Corinth archaeological site, above. We explored the castle during a daytrip to historic sites in the Corinth area in May 2022.

 

Formidable fortress: I call it the Rock of Ages, because there’s an incredibly long history behind Acrocorinth, an impressive ages-old castle that sits astride a monolithic peak in the Corinth region of the Peloponnese.

Dating to pre-Christian times, the mountaintop site was the Acropolis of Ancient Corinth, a wealthy and influential city-state that was one of the biggest and most important cities in Greece, with a population topping 90,000 in 400 B.C.  Over the centuries since, the stronghold has been ruled by the Romans, Byzantines, Franks, Knights of Saint John, Venetians and Ottomans. 

 

 

During our drive from the Corinth Canal to the castle, it was easy to see why Acrocorinth was such a prized property for empires of the past to acquire and control. The huge rock rises at a strategic position along crossroads of major trade, travel and military routes, and its high location provides commanding views of northeastern Peloponnese and two important waterways, the Gulf of Corinth and the Saronic Gulf.

Acrocorinth is the largest castle in the Peloponnese, and its vast size immediately became apparent when we got out of our car in a parking area partway up the mountain and gazed up at the lower fortification walls. Imposing and tall, the stone structures extend almost 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) along the fortress perimeter, and enclose interior space of more than 240,000 square meters (59 acres). Even without knowing those startling statistics, we were struck by how absolutely enormous and intimidating the castle appeared from outside. It felt just as big once we got inside, too, and we didn’t even get to see all of the interior.

 

This short film by Travel and Drones was released in early December 2022. It presents dramatic and breathtaking aerial views of Acrocorinth and the nearby Corinth area of the Peloponnese

 

We managed to wander around Acrocorinth’s interior for nearly two hours before we felt too tuckered out to continue, thanks to the combination of our jet lag and all the walking (much of it on steps and slopes) under sunny skies and a temperature of 24 C (75 F).  While we had been hoping to climb to the summit to check out the scenic vistas and look at the Aphrodite temple, a tower and the ancient fountain spring, we feared we would wilt along the way, and decided to head into the city of Corinth for lunch instead.

Even though we missed seeing a large part of the fortress’s upper grounds, we had a fascinating time. There are intriguing monuments and artefacts from antiquity and each era that the castle was ruled by a different empire — “the sanctuary of Aphrodite with an early Christian basilica on its ruins, the fountain of Ano Peirene, Byzantine cisterns, the Frankish tower, a Venetian church, mosques, Turkish houses and fountains,” a passage on the Ancient Corinth website points out.

In May, it was exhilarating to stroll around since the grounds were vibrant and lovely with foliage, wildflowers, tall grasses and fields of wheat swaying in the breeze.  There was so much lush and thick greenery, some of the ruins were obscured or partially hidden  — nature appeared to be reclaiming the land. Views of the Corinth countryside and Gulf of Corinth were wonderful.

Scroll down to see photos from our visit. If you’re interested in learning more about the history of Acrocorinth, here are a few excellent website resources with articles, historic timelines, maps, photos and videos:

♦ the Acrocorinth entry on Picturesque-Peloponnese.com

♦ the Acrocorinth chapter of the Kastrologos Castles of Greece website

♦ the ExploreCorinth.gr website section Acrocorinth: The Acropolis of Ancient Corinth

♦ the Acrocorinth page on the website AncientCorinth.net

♦ the Travel.gr photo tour A Day in Acrocorinth, the imposing fortress of the Peloponnese

♦ the OnRoadsUncharted.com blog post Guardian of the Peloponnese | A Guide to Acrocorinth

 

Arriving at Acrocorinth 

 

Acrocorinth Castle entrance path

Acrocorinth Castle entrance path

one of the entrance gates to Acrocorinth Castle

Above, views of the cobblestone path that leads from the parking area to the castle’s first entrance gate (there are three gates in total). Although we were wearing sturdy hiking shoes, we found the stones quite slippery underfoot, and had to step slowly and cautiously while climbing uphill, taking even greater care walking back down. Inside the castle, there is a lot more uphill walking, on steps, slopes and uneven terrain. If you plan to visit, wear shoes with soles that grip well. Be aware that if you have balance or mobility issues, the climb into and back out of the castle could be treacherous. We saw many visitors wobbling and some stumbling on the paths.  If you walk  up or down the sides of the steps, you can hold onto walls or rocks to sturdy yourself on the cobblestones.

 

the second entrance gate at Acrocorinth Castle

The cobblestone path through the second gate 

 

Acrocorinth Castle entrance gate

Approaching the mammoth third — and final — entrance gate

 

The massive fortification walls

Historians believe the first castle walls on Acrocorinth were built during the reign of the tyrant Periander, who ruled from 627 to 585 B.C.  Over the centuries, some conquerors destroyed the fortifications, while others reconstructed them or added more. Any time I looked at the immense fortifications, I couldn’t help but wonder who piled all the heavy stones together, and how they were even able to perform the backbreaking work at the tops of cliffs and down the sides of steep slopes. It would have required Herculean effort to build, tear down or reconstruct those thick, tall ramparts and defensive walls. 

 

Acrocorinth Castle fortification wall

a tourist taking photos at Acrocorinth Castle

To get a sense of perspective of the enormous size of some of the castle walls, consider that the tourist taking a photo, above, is barely visible in the top photo.

 

Acrocorinth Castle

outer walls of Acrocorinth Castle

Acrocorinth Castle walls atop a cliff

 

 

 

The interior grounds, monuments and ruins

 

ruins inside the Acrocorinth Castle

ruins inside the Acrocorinth Castle

ruins in the Acrocorinth Castle

inside the Acrocorinth Castle

a mosque inside the Acrocorinth castle

the Acrocorinth Castle interior

inside the Acrocorinth Castle

Acrocorinth Castle grounds

inside the Acrocorinth Castle

steps inside the Acrocorinth Castle

ruins inside the Acrocorinth Castle

 inside the Acrocorinth Castle

inside the Acrocorinth Castle

ruins inside the Acrocorinth Castle

 

inside the Acrocorinth Castle

Above, a tower and other structures on the upper-most points of the peak, where visitors can explore the remains of a sanctuary and temple originally dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite, and the spring fountain of Ano Peirene. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the top, so we don’t have any photos from that level of the fortress.

 

 

Agios Dimitrios church

 

Agios Dimitrios church in the Acrocorinth Castle

Church of Agios Dimitrios in the Acrocorinth Castle

inside Agios Dimitrios church at Acrocorinth Castle

a fresco in Agios Dimitrios Church in the Acrocorinth Castle

The bell at Agios Dimitrios church in the Acrocorinth Castle

Above, views of the Venetian-era Agios Dimitrios Church, its interior and one of its wall frescos, and the church bell

 

Views from Acrocorinth

 

Acrocorinth Castle view

view from Acrocorinth Castle

View from Acrocorinth Castle

View from Acrocorinth Castle

View from Acrocorinth Castle

Acrocorinth castle view of Corinth and Loutraki

Above, some of the countryside views from the castle. The bottom photo shows the small cities of Corinth (foreground) and Loutraki (across the bay at the foot of the mountains), where we stayed for the first three days of our vacation.

 

Acrocorinth views of Penteskoufi 

From Acrocorinth, visitors can see another nearby peak that is also crowned with a castle — Penteskoufi (also known as the Montesquieue Castle).

It was built by the Franks in 1205 as a strategic maneuver in their efforts to conquer Acrocorinth, which was held at the time by the Byzantine ruler, Leo Sgouras. It took several years for the would-be invaders to prevail. In 1208, as the Franks moved closer to capturing control of Acrocorinth by cutting off its access routes and supply chains, Sgouras committed suicide by riding his horse off a cliff.  When supplies finally ran out a year later, Acrocorinth surrendered to the Franks.

Penteskoufi is a square fortress with a tower and six cannon ports. A trail to the castle apparently starts at the Acrocorinth parking area (though we didn’t see it), but the Kastrologos website says the route up the 476-meter peak is difficult and strenuous, and can be dangerous. 

 

view from the Acrocorinth Caste

View from the Acrocorinth castle

Acrocorinth Castle view of the Penteskoufi Castle

 

 

A short daytrip from Loutraki to Vouliagmeni Lake and the Sanctuary of Hera

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A look at two unique places where visitors to Loutraki can sunbathe, swim and enjoy beautiful scenery within a 20 kilometer drive of the city

 

Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

Encircled by pine forests, Vouliagmeni Lake is a salt-water lagoon where visitors can swim and sunbathe on sandy beaches and enjoy refreshments at tavernas along the shore.

 

beach below the Heraion of Perachora

At the Sanctuary of Hera, visitors can explore an archaeological site, swim and cliff jump at a small beach below the ruins, then watch the sunset from a 125-year-old stone lighthouse perched high above the Gulf of Corinth

 

Into the Corinthian countryside:  Sunshine, light clouds and temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius prevailed on our first full day in Loutraki in May. It was perfect weather for a drive through the Gulf of Corinth countryside to visit two of the area’s noteworthy attractions, Vouliagmeni Lake and the Sanctuary of Hera.

First stop was Vouliagmeni Lake, about 15 kilometers from the city. (Like many places in Greece, it is known and referred to by a variety of names, including Limni Vouliagmeni, Lake Ireon, the Heraion Lagoon, and the Blue Lake. To add to possible confusion, there’s another beautiful body of water named Vouliagmeni Lake that is also well-known by Greeks and tourists alike; that one is situated on the Athens Riviera.)

 

 

Surrounded by pine tree forests, rolling hills and steep rock slopes, the Vouliagmeni near Loutraki is an oblong-shaped salt-water lagoon connected to the Gulf of Corinth by a narrow channel. The lake is roughly two kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide, and its waters reach depths up to 40 meters. With sandy beaches extending across shallow stretches of its shore, and several tavernas and beach cafes located at varying points on the lakefront, it’s quite a popular daytrip destination for people seeking relaxation or fun in the summer sun — seasonal activities such as snorkeling, water skiing and wakeboarding, as well as cycling and hiking tours, are available at the lake.

Surprisingly, few other people were around when we were there, though that may have been because it was a Tuesday morning, and since we spent most of our time walking around and sitting in the sun on the northeast shore, near Taverna Hera, one of the lake’s handful of restaurant venues.  There may have been more people at beachfronts on the southwest shore around Ypanema Seaside Food & Drink, or near the picturesque blue and white waterside chapel dedicated to Agios Nikolaos. Still, there was barely any traffic in the area, so it was remarkably quiet.

 

Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki Greece

Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

View across Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

Photo of Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

Above, photos we shot from the lakeside near Taverna Hera

 

Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

Above, three views from the lake’s north shore

 

 

Agios Nikolaos chapel at Vouliagmeni Lake Loutraki

Aerial view of Agios Nikolaos chapel at Vouliagmeni Lake Loutraki

Above, two photos of the charming Agios Nikolaos chapel on the shore of Vouliagmeni Lake. The images were shared on the social media pages for Ypanema Food and Drinks, one of the lake’s top beach venues. More photos of the lake and the restaurant’s beachfront facilities can be seen on the @ypanemaloutraki page on Instagram.

 

This aerial film by Dronetube_GR runs nearly 4 minutes and tours viewers above the lake, its beaches and the channel to the gulf

Please click on the link below to read about our visit to the Sanctuary of Hera on page 2.

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Our holiday visit to Loutraki on the Gulf of Corinth coast

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Loutraki Greece

Waterfront promenade at Loutraki Greece

Loutraki waterfront view toward Corinth

With its exceptionally long beachfront and lovely pedestrian promenade, plus expansive views of mountains and the Gulf of Corinth, the small city of Loutraki proved to be an ideal place for us to shake off jet lag at the beginning of our trip to Greece in May 2022.

 

How we discovered that the coastal city of Loutraki is a great base for travellers planning to explore the Corinth and Peloponnese regions of Greece

 

Somewhere out of Athens: While we were thrilled to be going back to Greece for our first trip in three years, we were almost dreading our flight to Athens in May. Local news reports kept showing long, queues of frustrated passengers waiting at understaffed check-in counters and security checkpoints in Toronto’s Pearson Airport, which was making international headlines for its record-high rates of flight delays and cancellations.

As if getting to the airport more than three hours before departure wasn’t bad enough, we certainly weren’t looking forward to the 9.5-hour overnight flight in cramped economy class seats, either. Though we were fully vaxxed with Covid shots, we wondered how we would manage wearing face masks and sitting mere inches from other people for such a long time. (Masking would be mandatory from the moment we walked into the Toronto terminal until the second we stepped out of Athens International Airport).

And then, of course, we would have to cope with jet lag fatigue and lethargy as we adjusted to the 7-hour time difference for a few days after arrival.

 

 

With so many unpleasant hurdles to overcome just to get off the ground and across the Atlantic, we didn’t want to stay in busy, bustling Athens at the beginning of our holiday. We simply weren’t ready to deal with crowds, noise and traffic congestion, and would have to find somewhere less frenetic. But where could we ease into vacation mode and shake off the jet lag before our scheduled flight to Karpathos island three days later?

Ideally, it would be a place on the seaside with great scenery (bonus points for mountain and sunset views); parks or walking paths; a wide selection of restaurants and cafes close to our hotel; and interesting historic sites or scenic outdoor areas we could visit on short daytrips. The Athens Riviera ticked most of the boxes, but we had already stayed in Glyfada, Voula and Sounion numerous times, and wanted to experience something different. 

Loutraki came to mind, and seemed even more appealing when I did some research. When I mentioned it to an Athens friend who knows our travel style and preferences quite well, she agreed that Loutraki would be a good choice. What’s more, she could join us for those three days, even picking us up at Athens airport and driving us back there for our island flight. That settled it — we were going to Loutraki!

 

This 5-minute video from Visit Loutraki shows aerial views of the city, and profiles some of the highlight attractions in the mountains and coastal areas nearby

 

A small city with about 12,000 residents, Loutraki is located in the Peloponnese, on the southeastern coast of the Gulf of Corinth. It’s just over an hour (80 miles) from Athens, so it would be a relatively short and tolerable trip from the airport following our long flight. It looked inviting in pictures and videos, and sounded good in descriptions on travel blogs and websites. Once we got there, however, it was even better than we had expected.

To our delight, Loutraki offered a lot for us to love:

♦ a coastal location boasting miles of waterfront, much of it lined with beaches and pedestrian walkways

♦ impressive views of mountains and the gleaming waters of the Gulf of Corinth

♦ dozens of restaurants, cafes and bars for all budgets

♦ extensive options for hotel and private rental accommodations, 

♦ close proximity to important historic sites and amazing natural attractions to visit on short outings or daytrips, and

♦ lots of other places and things to see and do, including a renowned thermal spa and a casino.

Best of all, it was a perfect place us to overcome jet lag, since the seaside paths and daytrips to nearby historic sites enabled us to take long walks in fresh air and sunshine — something travel experts strongly recommend for adjusting to new time zones.

There was really only one thing we didn’t like, and that was our schedule — with only two full days and three nights at our disposal, our visit ended quickly, and we couldn’t  see and do as much in Loutraki as we would have liked.

 

Vouliagmeni Lake near Loutraki

archaeological site of Herai Perachora

On our first full day in Loutraki, we drove to see one of the area’s most popular natural attractions,  Vouliagmeni Lake (upper photo),  along with the beautiful archaeological and historic site nearby, the Heraion of Perachora (the Sanctuary of the Goddess Hera)

 

Acrocorinth Castle entrance gate

the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth

On our second full day, we wandered around the massive Acrocorinth Castle (upper photo) and the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth

 

If you’re interested in learning more about Loutraki as a holiday or daytrip destination, check out Visit Loutraki, the official web portal for the Loutraki Tourism Organization.  The website is packed with information about accommodations, dining, nightlife, sports and other activities, religious and historic sites, nearby beaches and much more.  There’s also a Visit Loutraki page on Facebook, and more than 1,590 photos on the Instagram profile @visitloutraki.

To see a series of photos from our time in Loutraki, please click on the link below to continue reading on page 2.

 

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A Christmas fairy tale in Sparta

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The Drop Cafe in Sparta Greece

Christmas elves have transformed The Drop Cafe in Sparta into a fairy-tale wonderland for the holiday season

 

All decked out: With snow on the ground and ski resorts opening in various parts of the country this month, it’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas in Greece. Especially in the Peloponnese city of Sparta, where festive elves have turned The Drop Cafe into a sensational Christmas wonderland.

The cafe describes itself as a “themed coffeehouse,” serving coffees, cocktails and deliciously decadent desserts  in a quirky yet cozy mansion-style living room space. The place delights in dressing itself up for special seasonal events, and for Christmas it goes over-the-top with fantastically festive decor.

This year, decorating duties were assigned to a team of exuberant elves who magically transformed the place into a dreamy setting that looks like something you would see in a Hollywood Christmas movie.

“Many times you may have wondered what it might be like to live in a Christmas fairy tale. The elves took care of that!” says the caption for a video The Drop Cafe posted on its social media pages on December 10, showing the sparkling lights and festive trim that adorn the shop from top to bottom, inside and out.

Besides going all-out with garlands, Christmas tree ornaments and twinkling lights, the multi-talented elves concocted a special Christmas cocktails list (the red velvet is one of the most popular drinks on the menu), along with heart-warming seasonal beverages like cinnamon apple tea and hot chocolate “bombs,” all of which pair well with the cafe’s scrumptious cakes and sweet treats.

You can bet that children will be thrilled by the display, which features countless lights and ornaments, stuffed animals, toy elves, a circus carousel and a giant Christmas cake, while adults are bound to feel like they’re experiencing Christmas as kids all over again.

The cafe unveiled its Christmas look in mid-November. We reached out to ask how long management plans to keep the decorations up, but haven’t heard back yet. If you’re within driving distance of Sparta, we recommend taking a roadtrip there ASAP to partake in some holiday cheer and experience a real-life Christmas fairy tale.

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The Drop Cafe

Likourgou 142, Sparta

Instagram: @the_drop_cafe

Facebook: @thedropcafebistrot

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Below are several photos of the cafe’s glowing and glittering holiday decor, all of which were shared on The Drop Cafe’s social media pages. Check out their Instagram and Facebook profiles to see more photos and videos of their Christmas garb, as well as their theme decors from this past Halloween, last Christmas, and seasons in between.

 

The Drop Cafe in Sparta Greece

The Drop Cafe in Sparta Greece

The Drop Cafe in Sparta Greece

The Drop Cafe in Sparta Greece

The Drop Cafe in Sparta Greece

The Drop Cafe in Sparta Greece

The Drop Cafe in Sparta Greece

 

More moments in the Mani peninsula of the Peloponnese

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This short film offers a short but sweet tour of what its producer,  Fist AK Productions, describes as “one of the most beautiful areas of Greece.”

 

More Mani: Regular readers might recall my Magical moments in the Mesa Mani post last summer, in which I shared a video and travel information links for a region of Greece that truly fascinates and intrigues me — the rugged Mani peninsula of the Peloponnese. I mentioned that the Mani was on our bucket list of places to see, and in fact it was on a short list of destinations we were considering for our upcoming spring holiday. We ultimately chose an island for our next trip, but still intend to make it to the Mani.

While I was organizing bookmarked articles and photos of the Mani to keep for future reference, I discovered a short video that had been published on Vimeo in March, by Fist AK Productions.  Rather than relegate it to a bulging bookmarks folder where I could easily overlook or even lose it, I’m sharing the short film here, along with a pair of older clips that I was going to file away as well — just in case any of my readers might be planning a Mani visit themselves.

Aerial views of the Laconian Mani, captured by fabdrone

 

In background notes posted with this film, fabdrone observes that “Until recent years many Mani villages could be reached only by sea. Today a narrow and winding road extends along the west coast from Kalamata to Areopoli, then south to Akrotainaro (the pointy cape which is the most southward soil of continental Greece) before it turns north toward Gytheio. Another road, that is used from the public buses in the line Piraeus – Mani and exists several decades now, comes from Tripoli through Sparta, Gytheio, Areopoli and ends in the Gerolimenas port near Cape Matapan.”

This video by YouTube contributor Stelios Hontas includes alluring scenes of Porto Kayo, Lagia, Marmari, Kokkala, Paliros, Castro, Achilleion, Cape Tainaro, Kokkinogia and Diamistastika.

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